Supervised by the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety, this commission will prepare reports to the governor outlining ideas for a statewide strategy to educate teen drivers on hazards such as drunken driving and texting and driving.

“No one can advise our state on how to reach teenagers better than teenagers,” said Harris Blackburn, director of the highway safety office.

The deadline for teen drivers to apply to serve on the commission is Sept. 20.

It has been a long time since I was a teen driver, though only a few years since my children were teen drivers. We tend to forget how different our skills and judgment were when we lacked experience behind the wheel. This is a good move to collect fresh insights from today’s teen drivers.

Having worked with Governor Deal’s team on the Criminal Justice Reform Council, I am confident that this is not just window dressing but a legitimate effort to find ways to improve the safety of teens on the roads.